The present invention generally relates to an apparatus and method for assembling a product including filling materials between at least two proteinaceous patties that are knitted together in order to form a stuffed proteinaceous patty product. More particularly, the invention relates to an assembly line including a plurality of stations positioned along a conveyor assembly, which stations supply a stream of first proteinaceous patties, deposit edible filling materials onto the first proteinaceous patties, deposit a second proteinaceous patty thereover, and knit the proteinaceous patties together with the filling therebetween. The line is especially suitable for assembling two meat patties with food material therebetween, such as cheeses and condiments including sauces, spices, bacon pieces, and vegetables that are chopped, chunked, flaked or otherwise processed or shaped, in order to form a product in the nature of a stuffed meat food item that is assembled from individually formed meat patties.
Previous attempts have been made to produce proteinaceous products that are filled with other food items such as cheeses or condiments. Generally speaking, such prior approaches do not knit together a plurality of patties in a manner in which the patties may have cheeses, condiments, or the like located therebetween. Rather than proceeding with a general approach that involves assembling components and knitting them together, such previous attempts at preparing stuffed proteinaceous patty products have been more in the nature of actually stuffing condiment materials into an opening within a meat item.
Contrary to this, the present invention includes the basic approach of building or assembling a product in a sandwich-like fashion wherein filling materials and a separate patty are positioned onto a bottom patty, after which the various components are knitted or crimped together. Copending, commonly assigned patent applications are directed to certain aspects of providing such an assembled product including knit-together patties. Included are patent application Ser. No. 705,762, filed Feb. 26, 1985, as well as applications entitled "Rotary Volumetric Piston Dispenser and Camming Assembly", "Pass-Through Proteinaceous Patty Making Apparatus" and "Automatic Crimping Mechanism for Proteinaceous Patties". Each of these applications is hereby incorporated by reference hereinto.
When filled and knitted proteinaceous patty products of this type are to be assembled and processed under high volume or industrial-type conditions, it is important to be able to accomplish the assembly steps on a continuous basis and in a manner in which the assembled product that is produced is of consistent quality and appearance. Another important consideration is the ability to provide an overall industrial-type line that has individual components which are readily accessible for maintenance needs and also for cleaning operations that are essential for industrial-scale food processing lines. Also important is the ability for such a line to readily handle large volumes of products, preferably on a continuous basis such that products in differing stages of assembly are simultaneously undergoing respective ones of various assembly procedures while the respective products or partially formed products are being conveyed.
Basic objectives of this type, as well as additional specific features and advantages, are achieved according to the present invention, which includes a plurality of operational stations that are spaced along a conveyor assembly, which operational stations perform desired respective functions, including depositing various food items onto the conveyor or a food item or layer that had been previously deposited onto the conveyor or onto another such food item or layer ultimately supported by the conveyor in order to thereby form a multi-layered food product on the conveyor. A further operational station is provided for attaching at least some of these layers to each other in order to form an assembled product having generally unitary characteristics.
It is accordingly a general object of the present invention to provide an improved apparatus and method for assembling stuffed proteinaceous patty products.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved apparatus and method associated with an industrial-scale food processing line whereby a multi-layered food product is assembled into a generally unitary product having external layers of meat and at least one internal filling layer of a cheese, condiment, vegetable or the like.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved apparatus and method for continuously conveying a food product at various stages of the assembly thereof, with a plurality of stations performing desired operations on the product at various stages of its assembly and while same continues to be conveyed therealong.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved apparatus and method including a plurality of stations and operations that are properly sequenced and timed to accurately accomplish depositing, assembling and knitting functions.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved apparatus and method for depositing discrete volumes of materials onto desired locations along a moving conveyor and in accordance with a predetermined pattern.
Another object of this invention is provide an improved apparatus and method which includes the ability to cyclically impart knitting motion to a flow of multi-layered proteinaceous patty items in order to thereby knit such patty items together.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved apparatus and method which includes assembling a multi-layered proteinaceous product including proteinaceous patties having one or more cheese slices included in a filling therebetween.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved apparatus and method for automatically assembling in an economically feasible manner a product that is difficult to manufacture manually.
These and other objects, features and advantages of this present invention will be clearly understood through a consideration of the following detailed description.